Eagles rooting guide for Week 4 games

The fourth Sunday of the 2022 NFL regular season is here!

It’s time to run through a Philadelphia Eagles-focused rooting guide for all of the Week 4 games. This exercise will be especially interesting this year since the Birds have more things to care about than usual due to owning a first-round pick from the New Orleans Saints in the 2023 NFL Draft.

EAGLES GAME

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS at PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: With a win, the Eagles advance to 4-0 and remain the NFL’s only undefeated team. Root for the Eagles, obviously.

NFC EAST

CHICAGO BEARS at NEW YORK GIANTS: The Giants aren’t good. If you want to root for them to win in order to see their draft positioning damaged, I can’t blame you. But the Bears are also pretty bad and could be in contention for a top pick. Let’s avoid getting too cute early on and just say it’s better to see an NFC East rival lose. Root for da Bears.

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS at DALLAS COWBOYS: Even with Dak Prescott injured, the Cowboys are clearly the biggest threat to the Eagles when it comes to winning the division. They won’t lose this game but it would be great if they did. Root for the Commanders.

NFC PLAYOFF PICTURE

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS at GREEN BAY PACKERS: I highly doubt the Pats stand much of a chance with Brian Hoyer starting but it’s an easy call to root for the AFC team over the NFC team in this spot. A Packers loss gives the Eagles more margin for error when it comes to securing the No. 1 seed. Root for the Patriots.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS at TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS: Easy call to root for the AFC team over the NFC team in this spot. A Bucs loss gives the Eagles more margin for error when it comes to securing the No. 1 seed. Root for the Chiefs.

LOS ANGELES RAMS at SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS: The 49ers will take the NFC West lead with a win. The 49ers are probably not the best team in their division. Thus, it wouldn’t be terrible to see them accidentally win it. Root for the 49ers.

DRAFT PICK WATCH

MINNESOTA VIKINGS at NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (London): A Vikings loss is preferable when it comes to the NFC playoff picture but the Eagles already have a head-to-head tiebreaker over Minny. And so it’s quite fine to root for the Saints to lose to make that 2023 first-round pick they owe to the Eagles even more favorable. New Orleans dropping to 1-3 overall and in conference games would be a tough start for them. Root for the Vikings.

CLEVELAND BROWNS at ATLANTA FALCONS: The Falcons are currently ahead of the Saints in the draft order. Root for the Falcons.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS at DETROIT LIONS: Both teams are 1-2 but the Seahawks are the bigger threat to pick higher than New Orleans in the 2023 NFL Draft. Seattle has the third-most difficult remaining schedule while Detroit has THE easiest remaining schedule. Need the Seahawks to capitalize on a rare winnable game. Root for the Seahawks.

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS at HOUSTON TEXANS: The Texans are a bigger threat to finish higher than New Orleans in the draft order. Root for the Texans.

TENNESSEE TITANS at INDIANAPOLIS COLTS: The Titans are closer to moving ahead of New Orleans in the draft order. Root for the Titans.

NEW YORK JETS at PITTSBURGH STEELERS: The Jets are a bigger threat to finish higher than New Orleans in the draft order. (The consolation prize to a Jets loss is that a Steelers win helps the Eagles’ strength of victory column, assuming Philly is able to beat Pittsburgh later this season.) Root for the Jets.

ARIZONA CARDINALS at CAROLINA PANTHERS: The Panthers are arguably a bigger threat to finish higher than New Orleans in the draft order. Root for the Panthers.

DENVER BRONCOS at LAS VEGAS RAIDERS: The Raiders are a bigger threat to finish higher than New Orleans in the draft order. At least as it currently stands. Root for the Raiders.

WHAT’S LEFT

BUFFALO BILLS at BALTIMORE RAVENS: Should be a good game but it doesn’t really impact the Eagles. The best angle I can come up with is rooting for the lesser team (whichever one you think that is) to win so they have a more favorable path to the Super Bowl, where they’d ideally meet the Eagles. Given Lamar Jackson’s playoff struggles, one could argue Baltimore is the more ideal postseason opponent. Root for the Ravens.